Pedestrian motor vehicle crash deaths have increased 45 percent since reaching their low point in 2009 and account for 16 percent of crash fatalities. The rates of pedestrian deaths in motor vehicle crashes per 100,000 people are highest for people ages 70 and older.

Pedestrian deaths occur primarily in urban areas. Engineering measures that separate vehicles and pedestrians such as sidewalks, refuge islands, overpasses and underpasses, and barriers can reduce the problem. Increased illumination, improved signal timing at intersections, and beacons that alert drivers to stop at crosswalks when pedestrians are present also can be effective. Because traffic speeds affect the risk and severity of pedestrian crashes, reducing speeds can lower pedestrian deaths.
Mead, J.; Zegeer, C.; and Bushell, M. 2014. Evaluation of pedestrian-related roadway measures: a summary of available research. Report no. DTFH61-11-H-00024. Washington, DC: Federal Highway Administration.

Vehicle factors also are important. Most serious injuries result from pedestrians hitting vehicle bumpers, hoods, or the windshield area. Serious head, pelvis and leg injuries are common, and the severity of such injuries may be mitigated through improved vehicle design.
Daniel, S., Jr. 2004. The role of the vehicle front end in pedestrian impact protection. Pedestrian Safety (PT-112), 99-112. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers. In addition, some vehicles are equipped with crash avoidance technologies that detect pedestrians and may automatically brake the vehicle prior to impact.

Data subsections:

Trends

A total of 5,977 pedestrian deaths occurred in 2017. Pedestrian fatalities decreased 2 percent from 2016, which was their highest level since 1990. Although pedestrian deaths were 20 percent lower in 2017 than in 1975, they have increased 45 percent since reaching their lowest point in 2009.

Age and gender

The rate of pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people decreased 47 percent from 1975 to 2017. The pedestrian death rate for children ages 0-12 decreased 91 percent from 1975. Children of these ages had the second-highest pedestrian death rate in 1975 but the lowest in 2017. The death rate for pedestrians 70 and older declined 74 percent from 1975. Despite the large decline, pedestrians of these ages had the highest death rate every year since 1975.

Pedestrian deaths per 100,000 people by age, 1975-2017

Year

<13 years

13-19 years

20-69 years

≥ 70 years

Total*

Population

Number

Rate

Population

Number

Rate

Population

Number

Rate

Population

Number

Rate

Population

Number

Rate

1975

45,851,304

1,632

3.6

29,795,023

796

2.7

125,762,927

3,656

2.9

14,563,945

1,348

9.3

215,973,199

7,516

3.5

1976

45,000,704

1,522

3.4

29,909,414

855

2.9

128,164,926

3,678

2.9

14,960,120

1,291

8.6

218,035,164

7,427

3.4

1977

44,337,332

1,390

3.1

29,800,313

835

2.8

130,700,531

3,992

3.1

15,401,249

1,383

9.0

220,239,425

7,732

3.5

1978

43,907,467

1,419

3.2

29,543,252

868

2.9

133,257,285

4,160

3.1

15,876,541

1,214

7.6

222,584,545

7,795

3.5

1979

43,778,959

1,291

2.9

29,077,607

923

3.2

135,810,304

4,437

3.3

16,388,617

1,277

7.8

225,055,487

8,096

3.6

1980

43,914,342

1,183

2.7

28,486,487

906

3.2

137,925,913

4,461

3.2

16,897,977

1,344

8.0

227,224,719

8,070

3.6

1981

44,049,940

1,064

2.4

27,743,947

797

2.9

140,349,007

4,457

3.2

17,322,714

1,278

7.4

229,465,608

7,837

3.4

1982

44,131,596

986

2.2

27,160,586

793

2.9

142,588,426

4,293

3.0

17,783,888

1,124

6.3

231,664,496

7,331

3.2

1983

44,119,297

944

2.1

26,737,497

671

2.5

144,701,358

4,026

2.8

18,233,751

1,081

5.9

233,791,903

6,826

2.9

1984

43,978,044

935

2.1

26,435,885

615

2.3

146,747,916

4,180

2.8

18,662,938

1,164

6.2

235,824,783

7,025

3.0

1985

44,260,136

925

2.1

26,001,247

592

2.3

148,589,564

3,993

2.7

19,072,785

1,170

6.1

237,923,732

6,808

2.9

1986

44,755,454

913

2.0

25,592,481

584

2.3

150,321,426

4,005

2.7

19,463,480

1,157

5.9

240,132,841

6,779

2.8

1987

45,348,247

898

2.0

25,209,615

518

2.1

151,840,344

4,091

2.7

19,890,817

1,160

5.8

242,289,023

6,745

2.8

1988

45,942,966

905

2.0

25,004,445

487

1.9

153,249,145

4,108

2.7

20,302,280

1,271

6.3

244,498,836

6,870

2.8

1989

46,690,604

786

1.7

24,664,300

421

1.7

154,744,818

4,090

2.6

20,719,397

1,180

5.7

246,819,119

6,556

2.7

1990

47,472,527

768

1.6

24,404,795

423

1.7

156,422,791

4,019

2.6

21,164,283

1,195

5.6

249,464,396

6,482

2.6

1991

48,240,747

695

1.4

24,066,587

437

1.8

158,093,861

3,561

2.3

21,751,897

1,044

4.8

252,153,092

5,801

2.3

1992

48,903,668

635

1.3

24,163,175

376

1.6

159,641,639

3,487

2.2

22,321,217

997

4.5

255,029,699

5,549

2.2

1993

49,335,864

644

1.3

24,664,091

402

1.6

160,981,980

3,502

2.2

22,800,673

1,012

4.4

257,782,608

5,649

2.2

1994

49,692,462

659

1.3

25,219,838

355

1.4

162,170,876

3,409

2.1

23,243,845

1,021

4.4

260,327,021

5,489

2.1

1995

49,920,484

597

1.2

25,764,300

389

1.5

163,424,735

3,543

2.2

23,693,757

1,008

4.3

262,803,276

5,584

2.1

1996

50,085,188

570

1.1

26,357,198

362

1.4

164,729,863

3,509

2.1

24,056,323

951

4.0

265,228,572

5,449

2.1

1997

50,364,983

513

1.0

26,730,812

371

1.4

166,278,995

3,457

2.1

24,408,817

931

3.8

267,783,607

5,321

2.0

1998

50,527,476

464

0.9

27,174,728

351

1.3

167,752,248

3,399

2.0

24,793,551

965

3.9

270,248,003

5,228

1.9

1999

50,667,139

449

0.9

27,518,156

333

1.2

169,412,713

3,229

1.9

25,092,805

885

3.5

272,690,813

4,939

1.8

2000

52,219,423

403

0.8

28,326,412

337

1.2

176,086,448

3,169

1.8

25,559,879

807

3.2

282,192,162

4,763

1.7

2001

52,341,395

363

0.7

28,437,711

346

1.2

178,525,502

3,268

1.8

25,797,467

878

3.4

285,102,075

4,901

1.7

2002

52,332,306

317

0.6

28,644,313

353

1.2

180,959,275

3,291

1.8

26,005,326

845

3.2

287,941,220

4,851

1.7

2003

52,187,602

327

0.6

29,028,500

348

1.2

183,371,928

3,288

1.8

26,200,946

777

3.0

290,788,976

4,774

1.6

2004

52,151,406

293

0.6

29,400,392

305

1.0

185,766,088

3,273

1.8

26,337,518

763

2.9

293,655,404

4,675

1.6

2005

52,149,395

274

0.5

29,589,854

325

1.1

188,012,486

3,468

1.8

26,658,669

777

2.9

296,410,404

4,892

1.7

2006

52,306,908

267

0.5

29,772,198

314

1.1

190,434,580

3,465

1.8

26,884,798

707

2.6

299,398,484

4,795

1.6

2007

52,585,809

243

0.5

29,775,943

343

1.2

192,123,888

3,345

1.7

27,135,517

726

2.7

301,621,157

4,699

1.6

2008

52,929,779

215

0.4

29,710,307

320

1.1

193,898,604

3,246

1.7

27,521,034

603

2.2

304,059,724

4,414

1.5

2009

53,753,412

201

0.4

29,667,279

259

0.9

195,799,589

3,053

1.6

27,786,270

578

2.1

307,006,550

4,109

1.3

2010

52,943,218

212

0.4

30,324,338

295

1.0

197,645,261

3,150

1.6

27,832,721

628

2.3

308,745,538

4,302

1.4

2011

52,950,108

169

0.3

29,895,041

298

1.0

200,226,415

3,333

1.7

28,520,353

637

2.2

311,591,917

4,457

1.4

2012

52,872,572

208

0.4

29,632,228

289

1.0

202,241,237

3,593

1.8

29,168,003

707

2.4

313,914,040

4,818

1.5

2013

52,723,720

208

0.4

29,524,367

241

0.8

203,785,395

3,633

1.8

30,095,357

666

2.2

316,128,839

4,779

1.5

2014

52,666,129

167

0.3

29,469,473

267

0.9

205,803,509

3,699

1.8

30,917,945

729

2.4

318,857,056

4,910

1.5

2015

52,747,095

187

0.4

29,378,595

278

0.9

207,599,746

4,266

2.1

31,693,384

719

2.3

321,418,820

5,495

1.7

2016

52,767,670

198

0.4

29,359,997

322

1.1

208,835,491

4,669

2.2

32,442,777

822

2.5

323,405,935

6,080

1.9

2017

52,738,932

170

0.3

29,414,280

285

1.0

209,543,668

4,642

2.2

34,022,298

806

2.4

325,719,178

5,977

1.8

*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Seventy percent of pedestrians killed in 2017 were males, a proportion that has varied little since 1975.

Pedestrian deaths by gender, 1975-2017

Year

Male

Female

Total*

Number

%

Number

%

Number

%

1975

5,196

69

2,319

31

7,516

100

1976

5,120

69

2,307

31

7,427

100

1977

5,331

69

2,400

31

7,732

100

1978

5,494

70

2,296

29

7,795

100

1979

5,701

70

2,391

30

8,096

100

1980

5,613

70

2,454

30

8,070

100

1981

5,459

70

2,332

30

7,837

100

1982

5,144

70

2,185

30

7,331

100

1983

4,775

70

2,050

30

6,826

100

1984

5,016

71

2,005

29

7,025

100

1985

4,671

69

2,133

31

6,808

100

1986

4,771

70

2,004

30

6,779

100

1987

4,777

71

1,967

29

6,745

100

1988

4,756

69

2,111

31

6,870

100

1989

4,594

70

1,959

30

6,556

100

1990

4,495

69

1,985

31

6,482

100

1991

3,985

69

1,815

31

5,801

100

1992

3,867

70

1,679

30

5,549

100

1993

3,936

70

1,711

30

5,649

100

1994

3,757

68

1,732

32

5,489

100

1995

3,856

69

1,728

31

5,584

100

1996

3,780

69

1,667

31

5,449

100

1997

3,643

68

1,677

32

5,321

100

1998

3,558

68

1,670

32

5,228

100

1999

3,466

70

1,472

30

4,939

100

2000

3,251

68

1,512

32

4,763

100

2001

3,421

70

1,479

30

4,901

100

2002

3,298

68

1,552

32

4,851

100

2003

3,274

69

1,499

31

4,774

100

2004

3,237

69

1,435

31

4,675

100

2005

3,450

71

1,441

29

4,892

100

2006

3,332

69

1,459

30

4,795

100

2007

3,288

70

1,411

30

4,699

100

2008

3,078

70

1,331

30

4,414

100

2009

2,827

69

1,282

31

4,109

100

2010

2,961

69

1,339

31

4,302

100

2011

3,102

70

1,354

30

4,457

100

2012

3,337

69

1,478

31

4,818

100

2013

3,277

69

1,496

31

4,779

100

2014

3,426

70

1,477

30

4,910

100

2015

3,832

70

1,654

30

5,495

100

2016

4,245

70

1,810

30

6,080

100

2017

4,177

70

1,769

30

5,977

100

*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Alcohol

Forty-four percent of pedestrians 16 and older killed in nighttime (9 p.m. to 6 a.m.) crashes in 2017 had blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) at or above 0.08 percent, compared with 61 percent in 1982. The rate of high BACs among pedestrians 16 and older killed in daytime (6 a.m. to 9 p.m.) crashes in 2017 was 24 percent, compared with 27 percent in 1982.

Estimated number and percent of fatally injured pedestrians age 16 and older with BACs ≥ 0.08 percent by time of day, 1982-2017

Year

Nighttime (9 p.m. - 6 a.m.)

Daytime (6 a.m. - 9 p.m.)

Pedestrians killed

Estimated pedestrians killed with BACs ≥ 0.08

Pedestrians killed

Estimated pedestrians killed with BACs ≥ 0.08

Number

Number

%

Number

Number

%

1982

3,033

1,861

61

2,911

783

27

1983

2,612

1,684

64

2,940

787

27

1984

2,668

1,665

62

3,046

750

25

1985

2,467

1,528

62

3,040

717

24

1986

2,505

1,523

61

3,004

694

23

1987

2,521

1,446

57

3,035

710

23

1988

2,515

1,475

59

3,148

674

21

1989

2,422

1,445

60

3,095

725

23

1990

2,431

1,486

61

3,029

633

21

1991

2,201

1,295

59

2,646

584

22

1992

2,040

1,215

60

2,673

636

24

1993

2,031

1,212

60

2,681

630

23

1994

1,945

1,091

56

2,659

615

23

1995

2,041

1,150

56

2,716

633

23

1996

2,025

1,165

58

2,624

627

24

1997

1,882

1,041

55

2,714

581

21

1998

1,899

1,054

55

2,666

608

23

1999

1,871

1,071

57

2,423

566

23

2000

1,743

992

57

2,416

529

22

2001

1,856

980

53

2,482

566

23

2002

1,893

997

53

2,447

576

24

2003

1,843

1,000

54

2,428

545

22

2004

1,845

997

54

2,372

523

22

2005

1,968

1,056

54

2,462

492

20

2006

1,999

1,093

55

2,353

548

23

2007

1,932

1,036

54

2,344

538

23

2008

1,846

983

53

2,204

553

25

2009

1,752

928

53

2,032

462

23

2010

1,822

942

52

2,143

456

21

2011

1,896

1,001

53

2,256

530

23

2012

2,043

1,052

51

2,437

564

23

2013

2,031

1,020

50

2,418

554

23

2014

2,112

1,026

49

2,491

562

23

2015

2,384

1,063

45

2,767

698

25

2016

2,682

1,206

45

3,018

750

25

2017

2,662

1,170

44

2,961

706

24

Where they died

Eighty percent of pedestrian deaths in 2017 occurred in urban areas, up from 59 percent in 1975.

Pedestrian deaths by land use, 1975-2017

Year

Urban

Rural

Total*

Number

%

Number

%

Number

%

1975

4,401

59

3,115

41

7,516

100

1976

4,409

59

3,013

41

7,427

100

1977

4,997

65

2,711

35

7,732

100

1978

4,934

64

2,748

36

7,795

100

1979

5,309

66

2,688

34

8,096

100

1980

5,279

66

2,698

34

8,070

100

1981

5,066

66

2,614

34

7,837

100

1982

4,809

66

2,455

34

7,331

100

1983

4,477

66

2,341

34

6,826

100

1984

4,660

66

2,360

34

7,025

100

1985

4,586

67

2,215

33

6,808

100

1986

4,580

68

2,197

32

6,779

100

1987

4,631

69

2,105

31

6,745

100

1988

4,650

68

2,216

32

6,870

100

1989

4,620

71

1,931

29

6,556

100

1990

4,619

71

1,855

29

6,482

100

1991

4,053

70

1,738

30

5,801

100

1992

3,923

71

1,597

29

5,549

100

1993

3,949

70

1,663

30

5,649

100

1994

3,934

72

1,543

28

5,489

100

1995

3,914

70

1,644

30

5,584

100

1996

3,838

71

1,596

29

5,449

100

1997

3,699

70

1,611

30

5,321

100

1998

3,584

69

1,611

31

5,228

100

1999

3,400

69

1,519

31

4,939

100

2000

3,298

71

1,376

29

4,763

100

2001

3,437

70

1,452

30

4,901

100

2002

3,421

71

1,418

29

4,851

100

2003

3,479

73

1,283

27

4,774

100

2004

3,393

73

1,274

27

4,675

100

2005

3,618

74

1,245

26

4,892

100

2006

3,521

74

1,234

26

4,795

100

2007

3,442

74

1,236

26

4,699

100

2008

3,184

72

1,210

28

4,414

100

2009

2,947

72

1,146

28

4,109

100

2010

3,129

73

1,146

27

4,302

100

2011

3,269

74

1,171

26

4,457

100

2012

3,541

74

1,267

26

4,818

100

2013

3,502

73

1,270

27

4,779

100

2014

3,806

78

1,092

22

4,910

100

2015

4,056

77

1,202

23

5,495

100

2016

4,783

79

1,256

21

6,080

100

2017

4,642

80

1,141

20

5,977

100

*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Thirty-nine percent of pedestrian deaths among people 70 and older in 2017 occurred at intersections, compared with 24 percent for those younger than 70.

Pedestrian deaths by occurrence at intersection and age, 2017

<13 years

13-19 years

20-69 years

≥ 70 years

Total*

Number

%

Number

%

Number

%

Number

%

Number

%

Non-intersection

125

74

221

78

3,545

76

494

61

4,439

74

Intersection

45

26

64

22

1,097

24

312

39

1,538

26

Total*

170

100

285

100

4,642

100

806

100

5,977

100

*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Sixty percent of pedestrian deaths in 2017 occurred on major roads other than interstates and freeways.

Pedestrian deaths by road type, 2017

Road type

Number

%

Interstates and freeways

824

14

Other major roads

3,575

60

Minor roads

1,376

23

All road types*

5,977

100

*Total includes other and/or unknowns

In urban areas, 52 percent of pedestrian deaths in 2017 occurred on roads with speed limits of 40 mph or less; in rural areas, 20 percent of deaths occurred on such roads.

Pedestrian deaths by speed limit and land use, 2017

Speed limit

Urban

Rural

Total*

Number

%

Number

%

Number

%

No limit

56

1

6

1

80

1

<35 mph

877

19

84

7

990

17

35-40 mph

1,523

33

139

12

1,707

29

45-50 mph

1,116

24

215

19

1,403

23

55+ mph

981

21

685

60

1,695

28

Unknown

89

2

12

1

102

2

Total*

4,642

100

1,141

100

5,977

100

*Total includes other and/or unknowns

When they died

Twenty-six percent of pedestrian deaths in 2017 occurred in crashes between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. and 24 percent occurred between 9 p.m. and midnight.

Pedestrian deaths by time of day, 2017

Time of day

Deaths

%

Midnight - 3 a.m.

717

12

3 a.m. - 6 a.m.

593

10

6 a.m. - 9 a.m.

533

9

9 a.m. - noon

282

5

Noon - 3 p.m.

309

5

3 p.m. - 6 p.m.

529

9

6 p.m. - 9 p.m.

1,544

26

9 p.m. - midnight

1,443

24

Total*

5,977

100

*Total includes other and/or unknowns

The largest proportions of pedestrian deaths in 2017 occurred on Saturdays (17 percent).

Pedestrian deaths by day of week, 2017

Day of week

Deaths

%

Sunday

817

14

Monday

787

13

Tuesday

830

14

Wednesday

756

13

Thursday

825

14

Friday

971

16

Saturday

991

17

Total*

5,977

100

*Total includes other and/or unknowns

Pedestrian deaths in 2017 were most frequent in October, November, and January (10 percent each).